Wrath Against the Israelites in Egypt

1The word that came to Jeremiah for all the Jews living in the land of Egypt, those who were living in Migdol, Tahpanhes, Memphis, and the land of Pathros, saying, 2“Thus says Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘You yourselves have seen all the evil that I have brought on Jerusalem and all the cities of Judah; and behold, this day they are a waste place and no one lives in them 3because of their evil which they did so as to provoke Me to anger by continuing to burn incense and to serve other gods whom they had not known, neither they, you, nor your fathers. 4Yet I sent you all My slaves the prophets, rising up early and sending, saying, “Oh, do not do this abominable thing which I hate.” 5But they did not listen or incline their ears to turn from their evil, so as not to burn incense to other gods. 6Therefore My wrath and My anger were poured out and burned in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, so they have become a waste place and a desolation as it is this day. 7So now, thus says Yahweh, the God of hosts, the God of Israel, “Why are you doing great evil against yourselves, so as to cut off from you man and woman, infant and nursing baby, from among Judah, leaving yourselves without remnant, 8provoking Me to anger with the works of your hands, burning incense to other gods in the land of Egypt, where you are entering to sojourn, so that you might be cut off and become an imprecation and a reproach among all the nations of the earth? 9Have you forgotten the evil of your fathers, the evil of the kings of Judah, and the evil of their wives, your own evil, and the evil of your wives, which they did in the land of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? 10But they have not become [†]contrite even to this day, nor have they feared nor walked in My law or My statutes, which I have put before you and before your fathers.”’

11“Therefore thus says Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Behold, I am going to set My face against you for your evil demise, even to cut off all Judah. 12And I will take away the remnant of Judah who have set their face on entering the land of Egypt to sojourn there, and they will all [†]meet their end in the land of Egypt; they will fall by the sword and [†]meet their end by famine. Both small and great will die by the sword and famine; and they will become a curse, an object of horror, an imprecation, and a reproach. 13And I will punish those who live in the land of Egypt, as I have punished Jerusalem, with the sword, with famine, and with pestilence. 14So there will be no one who escapes or any survivors for the remnant of Judah who have entered the land of Egypt to sojourn there and then to return to the land of Judah, to which they are [†]longing to return to live; for none will return except a few who escape.’”

15Then all the men who knew that their wives were burning incense to other gods, along with all the women who were standing by, as a large assembly, [†]including all the people who were living in Pathros in the land of Egypt, answered to Jeremiah, saying, 16“As for the [†]message that you have spoken to us in the name of Yahweh, we are not going to listen to you! 17But rather we will certainly carry out every word that has proceeded from our mouths, [†]by burning incense to the queen of heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, just as we ourselves, our fathers, our kings, and our princes did in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem; for then we had plenty of [†]food and were well off and saw no evil. 18But since we stopped burning incense to the queen of heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, we have lacked everything and have [†]met our end by the sword and by famine.” 19“And,” said the women, “when we were burning incense to the queen of heaven and [†]were pouring out drink offerings to her, was it without our husbands that we made for her sacrificial cakes [†]in her image and poured out drink offerings to her?”

20Then Jeremiah said to all the people, to the men and women—even to all the people who were answering him with such a word—saying, 21“As for the [†]smoking sacrifices that you offered in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, you and your fathers, your kings and your princes, and the people of the land, did not Yahweh remember them and did not all this come upon His heart? 22So Yahweh was no longer able to bear it, because of the evil of your deeds, because of the abominations which you have done; thus your land has become a waste place, an object of horror, and an imprecation, without an inhabitant, as it is this day. 23Because you have burned incense and have sinned against Yahweh and not listened to the voice of Yahweh or walked in His law, His statutes, or His testimonies, therefore this evil has befallen you, as it has this day.”

24Then Jeremiah said to all the people, including all the women, “Hear the word of Yahweh, all Judah who are in the land of Egypt, 25thus says Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, saying: ‘As for you and your wives, you have spoken with your mouths and fulfilled it with your hands, saying, “We will certainly perform our vows that we have vowed, to burn incense to the queen of heaven and pour out drink offerings to her.” [†]Go ahead and establish your vows, and certainly perform your vows!’ 26[†]Nevertheless, hear the word of Yahweh, all Judah who are living in the land of Egypt, ‘Behold, I have sworn by My great name,’ says Yahweh, ‘never shall My name be called upon again by the mouth of any man of Judah in all the land of Egypt, saying, “As Lord Yahweh lives.” 27Behold, I am watching over them for [†]evil and not for good, and all the men of Judah who are in the land of Egypt will [†]meet their end by the sword and by famine until they [†]are completely consumed. 28Those who escape the sword will return out of the land of Egypt to the land of Judah [†]few in number. Then all the remnant of Judah who have gone to the land of Egypt to sojourn there will know whose word will be established, Mine or theirs. 29This will be the sign to you,’ declares Yahweh, ‘that I am going to punish you in this place, so that you may know that My words will surely be established against you for [†]evil.’ 30Thus says Yahweh, ‘Behold, I am going to give over Pharaoh Hophra king of Egypt to the hand of his enemies, to the hand of those who seek his life, just as I gave over Zedekiah king of Judah to the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, who was his enemy and was seeking his life.’”